Police have arrested five leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations during a special operation in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur. The arrests were carried out in the early hours of Saturday, 15 August, following information that political activists were allegedly preparing to organise processions in different parts of the upazila.
The detainees were taken into custody during raids at several locations before being produced before a court later in the day under police escort.
Those arrested have been identified as Morshedul Amin Babu, 35, former president of the Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Ramganj Government College unit; Rashedul Hasan, 42, a former councillor of Ward No. 3 of Ramganj Municipality and a member of the upazila Jubo League; Chhatra League activists Md Parvez Hossain, 24, and Md Murad, 24; and Faisal Hossain, 31, a worker of the Ward Sramik League.
According to police, information had been received that activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations were making preparations or attempting to organise processions in various areas of Ramganj in connection with 15 August. Against that backdrop, officers conducted operations at several locations, citing the need to maintain public order and prevent any possible escalation of tension.
At one stage of the operation, the five individuals were arrested.
Ramganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Firoz Uddin Chowdhury said the five were arrested in cases filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act and in connection with allegations of sabotage. Following the completion of the necessary legal procedures, they were produced before the court and subsequently sent to jail through the judicial process.
The arrests come amid heightened police vigilance surrounding political activities and public gatherings. In recent months, law-enforcement agencies have maintained close surveillance of political programmes where there are concerns that demonstrations, rallies or processions could lead to clashes, disruption or damage to public property.
Police said their current focus is on preventing violence, sabotage and any disruption to public safety rather than allowing political tensions to escalate at the local level. Officers are monitoring political activities and responding where they receive information suggesting a possible threat to public order.
The latest arrests have also increased attention on the security situation in Ramganj. Local authorities are expected to maintain heightened vigilance around political programmes and gatherings, particularly where there is a possibility of confrontation.
However, the precise allegations against the arrested individuals and the strength of the cases will be determined through the subsequent legal proceedings. Arrests and allegations do not, in themselves, establish guilt, which remains a matter for the courts to determine.
O.C. Firoz Uddin Chowdhury said police operations would continue to maintain normal law and order in Ramganj. He added that if there were indications of possible sabotage or violence, officers would verify the information and take appropriate legal action.
The arrests therefore mark another step in the local security response to political activity in the area. Attention will now turn to the court proceedings and the further investigation into the cases filed against the five individuals.
